Method of producing dividing strips for floors



Dec. 22,1931. ,ReALAgsl 7 -1,837,902

METHOD OF PRODUCING DIVIDING STRIPS FOR FLOORS Filed March 5, 1930 $313attozuu Patented Dec. 22, 1931 PASQUALE GALASSI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF PRODUCING DIVIIDI NG STRIPS FOR FLOORS Application filed March5,

This invention relates to terrazzo and similar floors and moreparticularly refers to improvements in methods of production of dividingstrips such as are ordinarily used in 5 the type of floors mentioned.

Terrazzo, granolithic, stucco and similar floors usually comprise alower or foundation bed made of concrete or cement or mortar or othersuitable material, and an upper or finishing layer generally consistingof a mix-- ture of marble chips and cement, by means of which a gooddurable surface may be obtained as well as pleasing designs and coloreffects of a practically unlimited variety.

The upper layer which is generally placed in position after thefoundation layer has been allowed to harden to a suflicient degree ofconsistency, is generally divided into a number of panels or units in apredetermined arrangement, which are obtained by outlining the desireddesign by means of dividing strips placed on or through the foundationlayer.

These strips generally consist of relatively thin and wide metal barsset on edge, said bars having their upper edges flush with the surfaceof the floor, forming the desired de sign; said bars being generallyprovided with anchoring and positioning means insuring a firm bindingaction between the strips and the materials of which the floor iscomposed. These bars are generally made of relatively soft metal such asbrass for instance, the wearing qualities of which are approximatelyequal to those of the floor itself; and according to the nature of thefioor and of the design to be produced, the dividing strips may be ofvarious thicknesses and lengths.

Relatively thin stripsmay readily be ob tained out of sheet metal, andare suitable for floors of moderate size; however, relatively largefloors, or floors composed of relatively large units, call for stripshaving suflicient r rigidity to withstand the lateral pressure of thematerial without bulging when the floor isl aid.

ases the cost of the floor.

At times the 1930. Serial No. 433,315.

ornamental features are such as to require extra thick metallic stripsshowing through the material, and in these cases, the cost is stillhigher. i

In another copending application entitled Floor strips, Ser. No.375,052, I have described and claimed a type of dividing strip theconstruction of which is such as to materially reduce the cost of afloor without impairing'its appearance, said strip comprising acontinuous upper portion having an uninterrupted upper edge and a lowerportion composed of longitudinally spaced lugs depending from the upperportion.

The present invention has for its main object to provide a method ofproducing strips of the type to which said other copending applicationrefers making it possible to pI'O- duce two dividing strips out of asingle wider metal strip by the expenditure of a relatively small amountof labor, said method of production also making it possible to use thematerial with a maximum of efficiency.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method of makingdividing strips for terrazzo or like floors, making it possible toproduce two full width dividing strips out of a single metal strip thewidth of which is less than-twice the width of each dividing strip.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedmethod of making dividing strips of the character specified, wherebyreinforcing or anchoring means or both are produced in a blank metalstrip be 5 fore said blank strip is divided along a zigzag orsubstantially undulating line to produce two dividing strips without anywaste of material.

Other objects and advantages of the pres- 9o ent invention will morefully appear as the description proceeds and will be set forth andclaimed in the appended claims.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings, in which: a

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a strip blank illustrating themethod of producing two strips of the type to which my invention refers,said strips being provided with anchoring means and with a reinforcingrib member;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the same through line 2-2 of'Fig. 1;and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a strip blank illustrating themethod of producing therefrom two strips each provided with areinforcing rib member, the lugs of said strips having outwardlyinclined edges and being therefore adapted to fulfill the function ofanchoring means.

Referring to Figs. 1 2 it will be seen that two identical dividingstrips 39, 39 are obtained out of a single strip blank, the widthofwhich is equivalent to the height a. of a single stri J plus theheight Z) of the upper section of the other strip. Each strip is formedwith a longitudinal reinforcing bead 40, 40 and anchoring means suchas4l, 41 are struck off the lugs 42, 42' forming the lower portion ofeach strip.

Each strip comprises an upper portion 11 having an uninterrupted upperedge 12, and a plurality of spaced lugs 13 depending therefrom, saidlugs having their lower edges 14 in alignment with one another andparallel to the upper edge 12. Said lugs are preferably spaced at evenintervals and have a width equivalent to one-half the distance betweenadjoining lugs, thus forming intervening notches or recesses, the widthand height of which correspond to the width and height of the lugs. Byvirtue of this con struction, it becomes possible for similar lugs ofanother strip to interextend within said notches as the drawings show.It is therefore possible to produce two full width strips out of a stripblank the width of which is only equal to the height of a single stripplus the height Z) of the upper section of another strip. In practicethe height of the upper section is only from 4C0 to 50% of the totalheight of the strip, so that the resulting saving in metal is from toThe lugs are preferably made wide enough to permit anchoring meansbeing'laterally off-set therefrom, said anchoring means being preferablyalso adapted to act as positioning means. To make-this matter clear, itis well to state that the strips should preferably be anchored into thefloor material in orderto prevent their coming loose; and that thefunction of the positioning means is to act as a gauge for the laying ofthe foundation layer, consequently determining at the same time thethickness of the upper or finishing layer.

In Fig. 3 I illustrate the possibility of making two dividing strips 43,43 out of a single strip blank, said strips having their lower portionconsisting of longitudinally spaced lugs 4:4, 44 having a dovetailed orequivalent outline causing their end edges to be outwardly inclined fromtop to bottom.

By virtue of this construction, the lugs themselves can fulfill thefunction of anchori,ss7,902

ing means due to the interlocking action taking place between the lugsand the floor composition, so that there is no necessity of providingadditional anchoring means in the form of lugs or ears or cup membersstruck off the body of the strip.

The strips thus provided are preferably formed with longitudinal ribmembers 45, 45, if light gauge metal is employed; it being understoodthat the provision or not of these rib members is a matter of choice,this feature being omittedwhen the gau 'e of the metal used is such asto provide suhicient rigidity.

It is not necessary for the strips thus produced to have their lugssymmetrical with the notches intervening therebetween, nor is itnecessary that the two strips produced out of av single blank beidentical as long as they are complementary to each other so as topermit of using a minimum quantity of metal with a maximum ofefficiency.

The method of producing these strips or sections of strips isillustrated in the drawings. If the strips to be produced are not formedwith any rib or bead member and are devoid of anchoring means struck offfrom the body of the strip as would be the case for instance inconnection with strips of the type shown in Fig. 3, minus the beadmember as, 45, the method of production is limited to a singleoperation, that is, the cutting off of the strip blank along the Zigzagline such as indicated at 5-3 in Fig. 3.

If the two strips have to be formed with a rib member such as beads 45,45, I prefer to form the two beadsfirst and then divide the strip blankalong the zigzag line 53 as shown. In this case, the width of the stripblank will, of course, be somewhat greater than if no beads are to beformed out of the body of metal. I prefer to form the beads first asstated, because the pressure exerted against the strip blank can thus beeasily balanced sothat no deformations of its edges occur.

Furthermore, it is possible and at times it may be preferable to formsaid beads by means of rollers instead of by means of embossing dies.

When anchoring means such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 have to be provided,said anchoring means are also struck off the body of the strips and bentoutwardly before the strip blank is divided into the two strips, and ifbead members such as 40, 40 are produced then the anchoring means areformed after the rib or bead members have been produced and before thestrip blank is divided into the two strips.

The sequence of operations mentioned are advocated in conformity withwhat is deemed to be bestpractice, but it will be understood that theydo not exclude the possibility ofdividing the strip blank into twostrips before performing the remaining operations.

By virtue of the method of production advocated there is absolutely nowaste of material, so that a considerable economy may be effected in thecost of production as against strips of equivalent'height having bothedges of an ininterrupted character.

Strips of numerous other designs could be illustrated all embodying myinventive idea which consists substantially in economically producing astrip of standard height provided or not with anchoring or positioningmeans and possessing suflicient rigidity without using as much metal asis now employed for similar products.

The drawings are intended for illustrative purposes only and not in alimiting sense; I therefore reserve myself the right to carry myinvention into practice in all those ways and manners which may enter,fairly, into the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of making dividing strips for terrazzo floors or the like,which consists in forming longitudinal reinforcing members intermediatethe side edges of a strip and the center thereof, and then subdividingsaid strip longitudinally and intermediate the reinforcing members thusproduced along a longitudinal zigzag dividing line whereby to form twost ips having an uninterrupted edge and a plurality of projections andrecesses along the opposite edge.

2. The method of making dividing strips for terrazzo floors or the like,which consists in forming longitudinal reinforcing members intermediatetile side edges of a strip and the center thereof, and then subdividingsaid strip longitudinally and intermediate the reinforcing members thusproduced along a longitudinal zigzag dividing line whereby to form twoidentical strips having an uninterrupted edge and a plurality ofprojections and recesses along the opposite edge. y

3. The method of making dividing strips for terrazzo floors or the like,which consists in forming longitudinal reinforcing members intermediatethe side edges of a strip and the center thereof, and then subdividingsaid strip longitudinally and intermediatethe reinforcing members thusproduced along a longitudinally symmetrical zigzag dividing line wherebyto form two identical strips having an uninterrupted edge and aplurality of homologous pro ectiOns and recesses along,

the opposite edge.

l. The method of making dividing strips for terrazzo floors or the like,which consists in forming longitudinal reinforcing members intermediatethe side edges of a strip and the center thereof, punching out of thestrip a plurality of longitudinally spaced anchoring members, andsubdividing said strip longitudinally and intermediate the reinforcingmembers thus produced along a longitudinal zigzag dividing line, havingits transversal tracts passing between adjoining anchoring members,whereb'y to form two self anchoring strips having an nninterruptededgeand a oininganchoring members,"'whereby to form two identical selfanchoring strips having an uninterrupted edge and a plurality ofhomologous projections and recesses along the opposite edge.

6. The method of making dividing strips for terrazzo floors or the like,which consists in forming longitudinal reinforcing beads intermediatethe side edges of a strip and the center thereof, and then subdividingsaid strip longitudinally and intermediate the reinforcing beads thusproduced along a longitudinal zigzag dividing line whereby to form twostrips having an uninterrupted edge and a plurality of projections andrecesses along the opposite edge.

of making dividing strips 7 The method of making dividing strips forterrazzo floors or the like, which consists in forming longitudinalreinforcing beads intermediate the side edges of a strip and the centerthereof, and then subdividing said strip longitudinally and intermediatethe reinforcing beads thus produced along a longitudinally symmetricalzigzag dividing line whereby to form two identical strips having anuninterrupted edge and a plurality of homologous projections andrecesses along the opposite edge.

8. The method of making dividing strips for terrazzo floors or the like,which consists in forming longitudinal reinforcing beads intermediatethe. side edges of a strip and the center thereof, punching out of thestrip a plurality of longitudinally spaced anchoring members, andsubdividing said strip longitudinally and intermediate the reinforcingbeadsthus produced along a longitudinally symmetrical zigzag dividingline having its transversal tracts passing between adjoining anchoringmembers, whereby to form two identical self anchoring strips having anuninterrupted edge and a plurality of homologous projections andrecesses along the opposite edge. I

9. The method of making dividing strips for terrazzo floors or the like,which consists in forming longitudinal reinforcing members intermediatethe side edges of a strip and the center thereof, and sub-dividing saidstrip longitudinally and intermediate said reinforcing members along alongitudinal zigzag dividing line whereby to form two strips having anuninterrupted edge and a plura1- ity of projections and recesses alongthe opposite edge. I

10. The method of making dividing strips for terrazzo floors or thelike, which consists in forming reinforcing members intermediate theside edges of a strip and the center thereof, and subdividing said striplongitudinally and intermediate said reinforcing members along alongitudinal zigzag dividing line whereby to form two strips having anuninterrupted edge and a plurality-0f projections and recesses alon theopposite ed e.

ASQUALE eALAsstr.

